99%
03 09 11 21:46 Filed in: My Life | Reflections
I admire my GPS. Ninety-nine percent of the time she is accurate, and I have gotten used to relying on her. So when I headed south two and a half weeks ago, I went with the “lighten my load” theme and left the maps at home. Maggie, my faithful GPS, would get me where I needed to go. And she did - most of the time.
Unfortunately for me, she experienced a few days when she had trouble finishing well. The first day, for example, she waited until I was quarter of a mile beyond my hosts before telling me with undeserved confidence, “You have arrived.” I had actually arrived a few moments earlier, but apparently neither of us noticed.
I hoped it was a momentary aberration not to be repeated. After all, she had been accurate all day (granted that was when I actually knew where I was going and didn’t need her directions). However, she was not done playing with my mind. The second day she wanted me to arrive via the street behind where I was to stay. I’m pretty sure there was no “climb over the back wall” option on the GPS, but she seemed to think it would be a good idea. Then there was the day she announced, “When possible make a legal u-turn” while I was driving down the freeway.
On the way home I planned to spend a night at the Super 8 in Crescent City, a destination supposedly known to Maggie. I had forgiven her for telling me to make a u-turn on the freeway and was confident she could get us to a place in her memory bank. “You have arrived,” she announced, at the bottom of the hill coming into Crescent City. I looked, but there was nothing - and I mean nothing - on either side of the highway. “In your dreams!” I told her and kept driving. Half a mile further along I found the Super 8 without Maggie’s help. I asked the guy at the desk if they had moved the motel recently. He looked at me like I was crazy.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but I repent of likening my GPS to the Holy Spirit. When it comes to divine guidance, 99% is not good enough. Maggie may fail me; He won’t.
Unfortunately for me, she experienced a few days when she had trouble finishing well. The first day, for example, she waited until I was quarter of a mile beyond my hosts before telling me with undeserved confidence, “You have arrived.” I had actually arrived a few moments earlier, but apparently neither of us noticed.
I hoped it was a momentary aberration not to be repeated. After all, she had been accurate all day (granted that was when I actually knew where I was going and didn’t need her directions). However, she was not done playing with my mind. The second day she wanted me to arrive via the street behind where I was to stay. I’m pretty sure there was no “climb over the back wall” option on the GPS, but she seemed to think it would be a good idea. Then there was the day she announced, “When possible make a legal u-turn” while I was driving down the freeway.
On the way home I planned to spend a night at the Super 8 in Crescent City, a destination supposedly known to Maggie. I had forgiven her for telling me to make a u-turn on the freeway and was confident she could get us to a place in her memory bank. “You have arrived,” she announced, at the bottom of the hill coming into Crescent City. I looked, but there was nothing - and I mean nothing - on either side of the highway. “In your dreams!” I told her and kept driving. Half a mile further along I found the Super 8 without Maggie’s help. I asked the guy at the desk if they had moved the motel recently. He looked at me like I was crazy.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but I repent of likening my GPS to the Holy Spirit. When it comes to divine guidance, 99% is not good enough. Maggie may fail me; He won’t.
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